REJAUL KARIM BYRON

The Farmers’ Card, monthly honorariums for July victims, and allowances for mosque and other religious institution workers will be part of social safety net programmes from next fiscal year, as the BNP-led government forges ahead with its election pledges despite a tight fiscal space.

About Tk 13,562 crore will be earmarked for the flagship Family Card and Farmers’ Card programmes, as per the decisions of yesterday’s meeting of the cabinet committee on social safety net.

The lion’s share will go towards the much-publicised Family Card programme: about Tk 12,500 crore.

The social welfare ministry, the implementing agency of the programme, however, sought Tk 13,740 crore.

Some 1 crore households will be surveyed in fiscal 2026-27 and 41 lakh beneficiaries will be selected.

Those selected for Family Cards cannot be beneficiaries of other social safety net programmes, as per the decisions of yesterday’s meeting of the cabinet committee on social safety net.

To prevent duplication of beneficiaries, an effective database will be developed, containing the names, addresses and contact information of beneficiaries.

About Tk 1,062 crore will go towards the distribution

SEE PAGE 8 COL 4